The Regal Key
Chapter 2
Plans
"Please let me go Gajeel."
"No! I'm never letting you go ever again!"
"But…you're crushing me!" Levy gasped, trying to squirm through the embrace. They were in the guild hall on the morning after the attack in her room. She hadn't been hurt – save for the emotional scars the damage Erza had wrought upon her book collection had caused.
There were a few people around them at this time. Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Jet and Droy keeping a safe Gajeel-length away and Master Makarov.
"We still don't know what Kurohebi wanted," Erza stated.
"I do," Gajeel replied sadly, finally loosening his grip on Levy. "He was after me."
"You think that he was going to harm Levy as a way to get to you?" Erza asked, following the train of thought. "But why? Raven Tail has no grudge against you, Gajeel."
The Iron Dragon shared a glance with Makarov, who nodded slowly. "For some time now, I have been working as a double agent within Raven Tail." There was a collective gasp from the audience, none louder than Levy.
"It is my fault," Makarov put in quickly, lest there be any confusion. "I asked it of Gajeel. I needed someone to gain Ivan's trust and as an ex-member of Phantom Lord, Gajeel was perfectly placed. During his fight with my grandson, Laxus gave away enough information for Ivan to surmise that Gajeel had betrayed him."
"But it's so dangerous!" Levy wailed, hugging Gajeel fiercely. "What if you'd been hurt? Or worse?"
Gajeel shrugged and looked away. "I had a lot of sins to repay. But right now, the problem isn't me, it's you."
"Indeed," Makarov agreed. "A few minutes ago, I received a missive from the council after they interviewed Ivan on the matter. According to him, Kurohebi left the guild and is operating under his own motives. I don't buy that for a second, but it's hard to prove otherwise."
"Proof!?" Natsu raged. "He attacked a member of the guild! We don't need any stinking proof! We should head right over to Raven Tail and start breaking heads!"
"Natsu!" Erza chastised. "I understand your feelings, but they are a legal guild. We can't just attack them without a reason."
Natsu glared at Erza. "Don't you remember the last time this happened? We waited then, and it was Levy who got hurt."
There was an awful moment of silence where Gajeel slowly stood up, murder in his eyes. He advanced on Natsu, slamming his forehead into the other slayer's. "I ain't letting anyone hurt her again, Salamander. You hear me? But you are gonna fucking pipe down and let us talk about this."
Natsu gritted his teeth together, frustrated by inaction. But he could see how tense Gajeel was, muscles straining against his skin as he kept his anger in check. Natsu realised that Gajeel would happily go and kill every person in Raven Tail if he could, but knew that it was not the appropriate solution to the problem. Levy's safety came first, vengeance second.
"Fine," Natsu growled.
"We take no chances. We have Erza looking over Fairy Hills, but we should make sure that all of our weaker members have someone strong nearby at all times. I'll order Fried to add an extra layer of runic defences to all guild dwellings." Makarov paused, considering. "I'll need to arrange a team to observe Raven Tail, preferably one that won't run in and start needless fights."
"The Strauss siblings would make a decent combination of combat power and level-headedness," Erza suggested, forcibly stuffing Natsu into a chair to prevent him from volunteering. "Perhaps Gray and Juvia or the Raijinshuu?"
As they discussed the problem, Levy felt a little detached from the group. If she were stronger, this wouldn't be a problem. Gajeel wouldn't have to look after Mira or Erza, both warrior-queens more suitable for the slayer.
"He loves you, you nitwit," Lucy said as she sat next to Levy, expertly reading the flow of her thoughts.
"I know," Levy replied quietly. "I just wish that he didn't feel like he had to defend me from the whole world."
"Don't joke; he's probably happiest this way. Gajeel needs a way to keep his violence in check, and using it to protect someone is probably the best thing for him." Lucy looked up as she noticed Jet and Droy slowly sliding into the picture, finally pouncing on Levy in a group hug, babbling about how they were worried about her.
"OI!" Gajeel shouted, making Jet and Droy freeze. "Don't let her outta your sight! It's your job to look after her too! If she isn't in my sight, she better damn well be in yours!"
===][===
"Fire Dragon's Wing!"
"Earth Dragon's Talon!"
The room was vast and dark, the walls invisible even to their enhanced slayer senses. Utterly wrong footed by his opponent's strength, Erutan was forced back blow by blow, giving ground grudgingly. Alexander was laughing with the thrill of his new found powers, driving far too hard. Erutan ground his teeth together and waited. Finally, he saw Alexander stagger and smashed him to the floor.
"You need to hold back more," he advised. "You need more time to adjust to the implanted lacryma."
"Fuck you. I can do what I want. Don't mistake me for a mere human," Alexander retorted, though not actually getting up.
"Don't treat the power of the dragons so lightly," Erutan growled, allowing his annoyance to show. Alexander stared back with an icy glare, slowly getting to his feet.
"It is my birthright. I'm not some stray orphan taken in like a lost puppy."
"No, you're a powerless nothing if not for Ivan," the earth dragon retorted, not allowing the other man to rattle him with his spiteful words. "How is your home? Oh, that's right; it's on the other side of reality!"
"Shut the fuck up! Edolas or Earthland; it makes no difference to me. The only thing that matters is power. I will master this lacryma and destroy Dragneel!"
"Yeah, good luck with that," Erutan replied with a lopsided grin. "He's fucking invincible."
"Whose side are you on?" Alexander snapped, glowering. "Who do you swear allegiance to?"
"The same person as you. Myself." Erutan turned to leave. "I'm grateful to Ivan for rescuing me from a life in prison, but this is a job, not a family. I'll play his little game for now, but once we're done, I'm outta here."
Alexander watched him go, disappearing into the gloom. He listened as a door opened and closed, footsteps fading away. "He'll be trouble."
A short figure emerged from the darkness. "Don't worry," said Narpuding in his greasy manner. "We'll make sure that everything goes smoothly. There's nothing that Master Ivan can do quite like manipulation. But he is right, you should rest. We have plenty of time. Fairy Tail is nigh invincible. A few days, weeks, months are nothing to ensure success."
===][===
Indeed, a week did pass in which Fairy Tail agonisingly watched the clock tick by, waiting for some attack, an ambush in a dark alley. Then the news came through, completely unexpected.
"Kurohebi had been arrested," Makarov relayed with some surprise. "He attempted to rob a bank and was caught by Lamia Scale mages. He has given a full confession which supports the notion that he left Raven Tail and attacked Levy on some petty grudge against Gajeel. But, he's now safely locked away."
"This stinks," Gajeel growled as the guild dispersed back to normal function, leaving the pair at a table together in the guild hall.
"No, it's good," Levy objected. "It means that it's over."
Gajeel continued to simmer. It didn't sit right. Why leave an evil guild to commit crime? Raven Tail's legal status was a fucking joke! And he wanted to smack the snake's face in for daring to – his thoughts trailed off as Levy's delicate fingers entwined around his hand.
"I'm safe," she said softly, and Gajeel felt the tension flow out of him. She was safe. She wasn't going to get hurt again because of him. It was over.
"Now what?" He asked with mild confusion. He'd been expecting…something which hadn't materialised.
"Oh! I can start this quest with Lu-chan!" Levy said excitedly, standing up. "I've got the location of the first three pieces down! We should go and get them!"
"Oi, you're going too?" Gajeel asked.
"Of course! Lu-chan needs…well, not needs…well, I want…I WANNA GO!"
"But, it's not a job! You're not going to get paid for it!" Gajeel protested.
"My nakama can use some help; that's all that matters," Levy stated, becoming defiant. She was not going to let Gajeel coddle her like some small child. She was an adult and a guild member; she could go on dangerous quests if she chose.
"It's Lucy and Salamander, I'm sure that they can handle it."
"You don't want me to go," Levy asserted, cutting through the crap. "Give me one good reason."
"You were just attacked!" Gajeel shouted. "It's not safe to go outside by yourself!"
"I'm not going to be alone!"
Gajeel stammered, clearly running out of ammunition. So, in a rare moment of clarity, he tried honesty. "I'm scared." Levy blinked, clearly surprised. "I'm scared of losing you; you're the best thing to ever happen to me."
Levy stopped, not really sure what to say. Then she brightened, that beautiful smile spreading over her face as an idea occurred. "Then come with me! If it's just me and them, I'll be a third wheel anyway; let's go as a couple!"
"You… want me to go with you?" Gajeel asked. Levy grabbed his hand and started pulling.
"Of course! Come on! We've gotta tell Lu-chan and Lily and get packed. Oh, and I'll have to tell Jet and Droy, and we need to get dinner…come on! Come on, come on, come on!"
===][===
"Master Ivan, we have reports that a group of Fairy Tail mages is monitoring the guild from afar," Narpuding reported as he entered the master's office, bowing low.
"Then it is a shame that they'll never see us leave," Ivan replied with a faint chuckle. "Is everyone else aboard?"
"Yes. The Corvus is stocked and all crew and passengers are ready. We may leave when you wish it."
"There is no time like the present," Ivan stated, leading Narpuding to a room with a large teleportation array, a vast green lacryma glowing with magical power as they were transported to another, identical room. But this room was not in the guild. It was in the Corvus.
The Corvus. A vast airship of a similar model to that Hades used to assault Tenroujima. It lacked any heavy weaponry such as the Jupiter focussing cannon, but it was faster, and more importantly, invisible to the naked eye. It hovered unseen above Raven Tail's guild hall.
"Welcome aboard, Master," Kurohebi greeted, bowing low. The Kurohebi that had been arrested was a doppelganger, a mannequin wrapped in an illusion made by Ivan and supported by a Lacryma at its core. It would serve his prison sentence for at least a month before losing power. "Our reports say that a group has just left Fairy Tail, including Lucy Heartphilia and two of the Slayers. Gajeel Redfox and Natsu Dragneel. Our course is laid in."
"Fantastic!" Ivan enthused. "I trust our passengers are settled?"
Kurohebi smiled in a most disturbing way. "Our slayer friend is confined to the privy with motion sickness, but otherwise, yes."
"Then let us be away! To Fairy Tail's demise! I look forward to seeing our old friend again. I must repay him in full the debt that we owe him. Gajeel-chan."
"Then you might be interested to hear that apart from their Exceeds, the final mage in the group is his girl." He hissed, amused. "A little weakling, easy to capture, easy to abuse."
"Everything goes our way! I will destroy them all, but first I wonder how Gajeel-chan will enjoy seeing the most important person in his life torn to pieces." Ivan began to chuckle, turning into roaring laughter that shook his shoulders and echoed to the corners of the Corvus.
===][===
"So, this is where we are going?" Lucy asked, pointing to a mountainous region on the map spread out on the table in their compartment. Across from them, Natsu and Gajeel squirmed in discomfort as the train rattled and rolled on its rails.
"My understanding is that we will find three key pieces there. They belong to Aries, Taurus and Gemini. The books don't detail what exactly, but it seems that we'll have to overcome some kind of challenge to obtain the pieces."
Lily and Happy were standing on the table, looking down at the map. "Wait, do you mean the spirits will give us a challenge?"
"Yep. It seems that the key has the power to manifest the spirits even without Lu-chan. You have to understand that the Regal Key is the most important and powerful artefact of the celestial world." Levy squealed happily. "Soon, Lu-chan will be one of the strongest guild members!"
"Stop," Lucy replied with embarrassment, cheeks burning.
"I wanna fight the king," Natsu said weakly, trying to follow the conversation. "He sounds really strong!"
"I'll fight the winner," Gajeel replied, hand over his mouth.
"You two couldn't beat kittens," Happy said, dancing on the table. Lily chuckled. How could this pathetic pair be so mighty?
"Don't worry, nothing bad is gonna happen!" Levy chirped.
===][===
It was awful, disastrous, crushing. None had expected such a horrible fate to befall them. Pallma was a sleepy mountain village under the snow-flaked monstrosity of a mountain behind it. It was small. So small that it only had one inn. Which was currently almost fully booked.
"There's one room for the four of us? Six," Levy corrected herself, counting the Exceeds.
"It's got a double bed," the receptionist replied apologetically. "You could probably all squeeze in."
Natsu and Gajeel glared at each other with enormous hate as the girls felt despair settle over them. A fun night with their boyfriends had just turned into a battlefield. Merely changing into sleepwear turned into a hassle. The girls went into the bathroom first, while the boys bickered endlessly over minor things. Then they'd competed over who was going to change first. After a best of seventeen game of rock-paper-scissors-ironclubtotheface, Gajeel won going first.
With the boys in boxers and the girls in t-shirts and shorts, it became incredibly awkward.
"Stop it," Levy hissed to Lucy, moving her hands in an hourglass shape. "Stop being so sexy in front of my boyfriend!"
"You're the one being all cute!"
"Did you just look at Shrimp!?" Gajeel whispered, slamming his face into Natsu's.
"Why would I with Lucy right there!?" Natsu retorted.
"You saying my Shrimp ain't sexy!?"
"There's no correct answer to that!" Natsu growled.
"Okay, let's all calm down," Lily said loudly.
"No! Let's fight!" Happy giggled. At the proclamation, everyone started laughing, tension leaving the room. Managing to wrench their male pride away from each other, Natsu and Gajeel went to hug their girlfriends.
"Hands to yourself in the bed," Gajeel said with an evil glare.
"My girl's the one in danger of being grabbed! They're mine!" Natsu declared.
"Oi, oi," Lucy deadpanned, "I think you'll find that they're mine."
"No one's gonna grab me…" Levy whimpered.
"You've got boobs, don't you?" Gajeel replied with confusion.
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Lily shouted. "I've got the perfect sleeping arrangement, so we can sort this out!"
This is how it went. Natsu occupied the far left of the bed, holding Lucy a little further in, who hugged Happy in turn. Then came Lily, being held by Levy who was held by Gajeel. A nice little Exceed buffer to ward off unwanted attention.
"Alright, we happy?" Natsu asked, reaching back to switch off the lamp after a chorus of assents. Darkness flooded the room and they settled down. A few moments later, Gajeel's snoring filled the room.
"Fan-fucking-tastic," Natsu said flatly.
"How do you put up with that?" Lucy whispered to Levy. But there was no response save for the high-pitched whine as Levy breathed in and out.
"I didn't know someone could snore that cutely!" Natsu exclaimed, getting an elbow to the ribs.
"I snore cutely, right?" Lucy snarled.
"No, you snore like a lumberjack with a bad head cold and a hangover," the pink-haired slayer said cheekily, grinning widely. There was a muffled cry of pain as one of Lucy's extremities made contact with his balls.
"I'll never understand these human mating rituals," Lily noted, yawning and allowing his snore to join the chorus.